The invention relates in general to mortar munition systems, and in particular to vehicle-mounted mortar munition systems.
Mortar munition systems have long been known in warfare. In general, a mortar system includes four basic components: the ammunition or projectile, a barrel or tube, a bipod that supports the tube, and a base plate that disperses the recoil force. The projectile is usually loaded into the muzzle of the tube. Firing the mortar includes using chemical combustion to propel the projectile out of the tube. Some mortars use a projectile with the propelling charge incorporated in the projectile. Other mortars use a propelling charge that is placed in the tube prior to inserting the projectile in the tube.
Recoil force is generated when a round, such as a projectile, is fired from the mortar tube. The base plate receives the recoil force from the tube and disperses the recoil force over an area. Dispersing the recoil force decreases the force per unit area. Recoil force dispersion is important for both mounted and dismounted mortar systems. If the base plate did not disperse the recoil force, an undesirable point loading would result. In a mounted system, point loading may destroy the vehicle to which the mortar is mounted, or may pierce or otherwise damage the vehicle. In a mounted system, if the recoil force is not dispersed, the recoil energy must be absorbed by a recoil system. In a dismounted system, point loading may eventually bury the mortar underground.
Mortar munition systems provide a range of capabilities including providing light at night, providing smoke screens for defense, and launching high explosive projectiles for offense. Mortar tubes are often shorter than artillery tubes. Advancements in technology have enabled mortar weapons to become more easily transportable, thereby allowing infantry to use less artillery. In some cases, a mortar, for example, a 60 mm mortar, may be fired from a multi-use land vehicle having a cargo bed. The multi-use land vehicle may not be a dedicated mortar firing platform, because it is used for purposes other than firing mortars. Thus, a permanently mounted mortar system is not desirable on such a vehicle. Examples of multi-use land vehicles are the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV), jeeps, and pickup trucks.
To fire a mortar from a multi-use land vehicle's cargo bed, a standard mortar base plate has been used, along with sandbags or tires to help absorb the recoil force and minimize damage to the land vehicle's cargo bed. Problems with the use of sandbags and tires include, among others, their availability and weight and the lack of a stable firing platform. The lack of a stable firing platform is unsafe and greatly decreases the accuracy of the mortar projectiles.
A need exists for a mortar mount for a multi-use land vehicle that is easily installed or retrofitted, is stable and does not interfere with other uses of the land vehicle.